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STUDYWORLD STUDYNOTES:
CLASSIC LITERATURE ANALYSIS
STUDYWORLD REPORTS & ESSAYS
RESEARCH AND IDEA DATABASE
Oakwood Publishing Company:
SAT; ACT; GRE
Study Material
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Importance of Capital Punishment
In the eighteenth century, England would punish by death for pickpocketing and petty
theft. Ever since the 1650's colonist could be put to death for denying the true god or
cursing their parents advocates. Capital Punishment have clashed almost continuously in
the forum of public opinion in state legislatures and most recently in courts. In 1972,
the case of Furman vs.Georgia reached the supreme court. The court decided that
punishment by death did indeed violate the eighth amendment to containing that
"excessive fines imposed,nor cruel and unusual punishment inflicted." By this
decision death sentences all over the country were set aside. The three most common death
penalties are the gas chamber,lethal injection,and the electric chair. Capital punishment
has become an increasingly controversial issue over many decades. The problem lies
between, is the death penalty being accepted in murder cases or ruled out completely.
While some people feel that Capital Punishment will not discourage crime, Capital
punishment should be legalized in all states, because it is morally just and it will deter
crime.
The many opponents of capital punishment who are against it feel that the death penalty
is not a deterrent and that it is barbariaertic of the past. It has no place in a
civilized society today. One of the biggest arguments against capital punishment is people
feel that it violates the eighth amendment which forbids cruel and unusual punishment.
People against Capital Punishment believe the death penalty is absurd and is in
un-christian practice. Further more, they feel society should not" encourage
sentiments of vengenance cater to morbid interest in ritual execution."
Criminologists also built a strong case that the threat of death failed to deter murder,
anymore effectively than prison. Therefore, to inflict harm to one,it is simply useless.
However, the punishment fits the crime therefore, it is morally just. Capital
punishment is an expression of society's moral outrage at offensive conduct. This may be
appealing to many but it is essential in an ordered society. It asks our citizens to rely
on legal procedures rather than to self-help their wrongs doings. It is morally right to
sentence a person to the death penalty who has committed a serious crime as murder. If
someone has murdered a person it is unethical to let the murderer live when you have an
innocent person who is dead. Capital Punishment has to be based entirely on consideration
of justice and morality.
Finally, the death penalty is a deterrent against crimes. Statistics show that the
crime rate is reduced in all states that hold the death penalty. The point given to these
people is that they are less likely to commit a crime knowing they will receive the
ultimate punishment to kill. "No other punishment deters men so effectively from
committing crimes as the punishment of death". Still, Capital Punishment is supported
by many Americans. They usually rely on deterrence as their main reason to deter people
from committing serious crimes. Hopefully Capital Punishment will be legalized in many
states to eliminate violence from American life.
Many people feel Capital Punishment will not discourage crime. It promotes murder
rather than deter it. A desire for suicide is what leads some murders to their criminal
acts. Capital Punishment should remain legalized in all states. The two main reasons are
it is morally just and it will deter crime. The way our society is today we need to
continue on with the death penalty. It deters other murders and it protects our society
from them. Clearly, the usage of the death penalty will force crime to be unacceptable in
our world and protect our citizens.
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